How Has Industrialization Brought About Progress For Women
Although the United States began as a mainly agrarian society, it quickly transitioned into one of the world’s biggest industrial powers in the early nineteenth century through to the twentieth century. This transition brought about a massive societal and economical shift, especially for women. Industrialization led to a bigger female workforce, and provided women with means to begin their fight towards independence. This essay will discuss if industrialization in the United States brought about progress for women. Progress is defined as the movement towards increasing legal, social and civil rights for women, such as the right to vote, and as an improvement in women’s working and living conditions. The effect of economic independence and
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Before industrialization, United States was mainly agrarian, with most white families being in a “family economy.” This meant that all family members worked together to sustain their needs, with the father or husband in charge of the household. This limited daughters and wives economically and socially, as it meant that the male figure could control and make their decisions for them. Allowing women to enter the workforce allowed women to feel more independent, even if they were supplying for a family unit. Many married women wanted to avoid the industrial workforce to maintain and prepare their own “reproductive” household, however, many lower-class, young and single women or children were forced into the industrial workforce to supply for themselves and their families. These individuals were exposed to dangerous industrial conditions, and were likely to be overworked and underpaid, however, for the first time, women began to own their own property and wealth. This provided women with a sense of pride and independence that they had not had before, and inspired confidence to make further progress. Economic independence inspired confidence in female abilities, which led to women becoming more politically involved and securing their working and civil
Before industrialization, United States was mainly agrarian, with most white families being in a “family economy.” This meant that all family members worked together to sustain their needs, with the father or husband in charge of the household. This limited daughters and wives economically and socially, as it meant that the male figure could control and make their decisions for them. Allowing women to enter the workforce allowed women to feel more independent, even if they were supplying for a family unit. Many married women wanted to avoid the industrial workforce to maintain and prepare their own “reproductive” household, however, many lower-class, young and single women or children were forced into the industrial workforce to supply for themselves and their families. These individuals were exposed to dangerous industrial conditions, and were likely to be overworked and underpaid, however, for the first time, women began to own their own property and wealth. This provided women with a sense of pride and independence that they had not had before, and inspired confidence to make further progress. Economic independence inspired confidence in female abilities, which led to women becoming more politically involved and securing their working and civil